Nasal pack



Patented Dec. 9, 1941 e UNITED STATES PATENT VOFFICE NASAL PACK John H. McMillin, Monroe, Mich. Application March 11, 1940, Serial No. 323,287

I (c1. 12s- 148) 6 Claims.

This invention relates generally to inflatable surgical packs and, more particularly, to nasal packs.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my prior application entitled Nasal pack, Serial No. 250,513, led Jan. 12, 1939.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new an-d improved inflatable nasal pack so constructed as to permit a patient to breathe through the nose and to provide a pack of this characterwhich can be easily and quickly positioned in the nasal cavity or cavities of a patient.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel inflatable nasal pack and breathing tube which are insertable in or removable as a unitary structure from the nasal cavity of a patient.

Another object of the invention is to provide an inflatable nasal pack and a breathing tube associated therewith in a manner such that the breathing tube will not engage or contact the inner Wall surfaces of a nasal cavity.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken together with the accompanying drawing irl-which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatical view of a human head showing one of the nasal packs in position -in the-nasal cavity; f

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the nasal pack;

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the pack;

f Fig.- 4 is a side elevational view of the pack;

y Fig. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the pack, taken substantially on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3; l

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary end view of one of the inflatable members, looking from left to right of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of an instrument for positioning the inflatable members in the nasal cavities of a patient.

Referring to the drawing by characters of refcreme, the nasal pack shown comprises, in general, a pair of laterally positioned, elongated inatable members I0 and a support or holder II therefor. The inflatable members I0 are alike and are preferably made of a good, thin latex rubber, each of the inflatable members I0 be- .port or holder II includes a front wall I3 from which extend spaced wings I4 which are shaped to tover a patients nose to aid in holding the pack in place. Preferably, the holder II is molded of a light weight plastic material.

The inflatable members I0 are each provided at one end thereof with an external neck portion I5, which neck portions t respectively and tightly over a pair of open ended metallic sleeves I6. At their opposite ends, the inflatable members I0 are each provided with an inturned tubular Yor neck portion Il which fit tightly and respectively overa pair of open ended metallic sleeves I8. The neck portions I5 and I'I may be stretched over their respective sleeves I6 and I8 and be held thereto by the contractual forces of the elastic neck portions, but to insure that the inflatable members I0 will not leak air, elastic bands 20 and 2I are respectively and tightly wrapped around the neck portions I5 and I1 and are sealed thereto. In each of the inflatable members I0 an open ended, flexible breathing tube V22 is provided which extends longitudinally therein and connects the sleeves I6 and I8 thus providing an air passage open at both ends to atmosphere but closed from the interior of the inilatable members I0. The breathing tube 22 of each inflatable member IIl has its opposite end portions respectively positioned and retained in the sleeves I6 and IB, and these breathing tubes 22 may be made of rubber or other suitably flexible material. In order to prevent complete collapse of the breathing tubes 22 by the pressure in theinlatable members I0, each of the breathing tubes is provided therein with a stiffening wire 23 which is coiled, as shown, longitudinally of the tube.

A pair of spaced bores 24 having counterbores are provided in and extend through the holder front wall I3 for respectively receiving external end portions 25 of the inflatable members sleeves IB, the sleeves I6 fitting sufficiently tightly into the counterbores to hold the inflatable members solely by friction to the holder II. Hollow pins or cannulas 26 respectively connect the interiors of the inflatable members I0 to an air chamber 21 which is provided in an enlarged portion or bottom wall 28 of the holder II. The pins 26 extend through the neck portion I5 of the inflatable members and through the elastic sealing bands 20 which fit tightly around the pins 26 to prevent leakage of air from the inflatable menibers I0. The pins 26 are preferably bent substantially at right angles and extend downwardly from the inflatable members I0 into vertical bores 30 provided inthe holder lower wall 28, the bores 30 leading downwardly into the air chamber 21. Respectively surrounding the pins 2S, washers 3l, positioned in recesses vin vthe upper surface of the holder lower wall 23,'are pro- Ywhen desired. v

After the iniatable members AIl) have .been positioned inthe nasal cavities of a patient, Vair is introduced into thel inflatable members i I!) through an air check valve which includes a..

ber 21.

. stem portion 32 which extends intothe air cham- An` inner enlarged end portion 3.31ct? the stem 32 is externally threaded. to screwthread into a bore in the holder bottom wall 28 and in its outer end, the stem 32 ,isprovidedwithji j a head 34 which abuts the-outer surface ofthe,v

Opening through" Ythe holder front wall I3. heed 34;, an air passage 0f here 35 extends '1011er tudinally and centrally .through the stem I32', terminating intermediate th'e'ends of the stem where atransverse bore 36 leads out of the side of thesstem `into the air chamber 21. A valve member gcontrols the outlet or port of the bore `Standis inthe form Vvcfa reslientopen ended sleeve which may be madev of rubber, the sleeve 36v surroundingythe stem 32 and normally closing the sport' of fthe bore 36. Surrounding the-sleeveyalve 36 there is a compressible gas- ;k et3'1 which seats in a counterbore and is held .under compression by the head 34 of the stem `.,'sfxto.preventleakage of air under the head.VM In the head 34, the air passage 35 is flared or made conical, as at 38, to receive the taperednozzle vr 32) oi abulbtype handsyringea40 by means of Awhichthememibers l caribe inflated.Y YAs airis forced'into the passage V35,V thel pressure of the `air expands the rubber sleeve Valve member 36 ,permitting the air to pass under the sleeve 36? intoY the air chamber 21, whence the-air passes Athroughthe hollow pins 26into the inflatable members l0, and when Vvthevbulb of thesyringe isrreleased, the rubber valve sleeve 36' closes the port of the bore, thus checking back flow of on their ends. In applying the pack, the prongs 43 are inserted in the breathing tubes and the rounded ends 44 lodge in the sleeves I8 which, as shown in Fig. 6, have flattened. outer end portions 45 to prevent the rounded ends 44 from passing therethrough. The inflatable members may then be quickly and conveniently positioned in the nasal cavities' of a patient after which, the instrument 42 is withdrawn from the pack. WhileLhave shown twov inflatable members, it will be apparent thatthey may be employed singly, in which event thersl'lpport lf will have but one bore 30 and may be made smaller.

While I have shown and described my im- ,Lprbved pack in detail, it will be apparent that many changes may be made without departing froin'the spirit and scope of the invention which is togbeijlimited only by the appended claims.

What I` claim is: Vl. av nasal pack, a supporting member hav- Y ing ari-air passage therethrough and having a air. i When it is desired todeflate ythe members 10, it is only necessary to releasewthe compression on the gasket 31 byunscrewing the stemj sufficiently, which operation is made convenient by the provisionof a slot n4i in the vstem yhead `3 4 to receive a suitable tool.

. From'the foregoing description it willbe appreciated that I have provided a new andiml,proved nasal pack having inflatable membersgfor bringing the necessary pressure to bear against ther nasalpassage inner wall surfaces and having within said inatable members breathing tubes so that` a patient may breathe withY comfort ltlfirough the nose. It will further be appreciated that by arranging the breathing `tubes within, ins tead of Without, the inflatable members it is Amuch easier for the surgeon to position` the inflatable members and breathing tubes AinY the nasal passages of a patient. In addition, it will the holder IVI as unitary structures, and thus .be seen that the inatable members il) and the breathing tubes 22 are readily removable from second air passagegopen to atmosphere, an air check valve controlling said first-named passage, a removable unit attached tofsaid supporting member comprising, ,an inflatable member .for positioning in the nasal cavity of a.V patientand communicable vwith. .said A,first-named passage, and abreathing tube extendingk into said inflatable member having one end in communication with said second-named passage and'having its other end open to atmosphere.

i 2. In a nasal pack, asupporting member having a pair of l. air'pass'ages therethrough, a unitary removable structure attached tosaidsupporting member compr-isingan iniiatable member having an openingcommunicable .with'one of said air passages for introducinggairinto said .inflatable member, said kinflatable member *having a second opening throughthe wall thereof., a breathing Vtube within saidinflatable member having oneY end communication with the other of said supportingmember air-passages-and hav- Y ing theother vend in communication with said second-named opening of said iniiatablemember and means associated with and preventing oomplete collapse of the. breathing tube by the1air pressurein saidinflatable member. l 'g r 3. A nasal pack comprising, va body'havingan air chamber and an inlet therefor, air check valve meanscontrolling saidinlet, apair o-fiinflatable members each having la pair ofV open ended tubular portionsa pair of cannular Vpins respectively connecting said iniiatable members to saidair chamber, a pair-of spaced breathing openings through Vsaid body, a pair of vbreathing tubes disposed respectively and-.extendinglongijtudinally vwithin said iniiatable members, la pair of sleeve members,v respectively connectinglike ends of saidv breathing Vtubes to, Asaid pair of breathing openings and projectingvexternally of Vsaid inatable membersvthrough a correspondingV pair offsaid tubular end Aportions, sealing' ,1

s'pectively to said second-named sleevemembers.

Y 4. A nasal pack comprising, a body hayi'rgan air `chamberand VYan inlet therefor, air check 'valve means controlling y"said inlet, a pair of in'- 'flatable members having open endedtubiuar portions, a pair "of f'cannul'a'r pins respectively connectingl said inatable members to said air chamber, a pair of spaced breathing openings through said body, a pair of breathing tubes disposed respectively and extending longitudinally Within said inatable members, a pair of sleeve members respectively connecting like ends of said breathing tubes to said pair of breathing openings and projecting externally of said infiatable members through corresponding tubular open end portions thereof, sealing means for sealing said tubular portions to said sleeves, a second pair of sleeve members and positioned respectively in the other open ended tubular portions of said inflatable members, sealing means sealing said other tubular portions respectively to said second-named sleeve members, said open ended breathing tubes having opposite end portions thereof received in said s1eeves and in said sleeve members, and coiled wires extending 1ongitudinally of and within said breathing tubes to prevent complete collapse thereof by the pressure in said iniiatable members.

5. In a nasal pack, an inflatable member having an external neck portion and having an inverted internal neck portion, an open ended breathing tube Within said inflatable member and having its opposite ends positioned Within and secured and sealed to said neck portions.

6. In a nasal pack, an inflatable member having an external neck portion and having an inverted internal neck portion, an open ended breathing tube Within said inflatable member and having its opposite ends positioned Within and secured to said neck portions, and a removable coiled wire within the passage of said breathing tube to prevent complete collapse thereof by the surrounding air ,pressure in said iniiatable member. ,n

JOHN H. McMILLIN. 

